{"id":35019,"date":"2025-11-10T17:24:15","date_gmt":"2025-11-10T17:24:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/35019\/"},"modified":"2025-11-10T17:24:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T17:24:15","slug":"new-york-drivers-warned-of-thanksgiving-weekend-travel-risks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/35019\/","title":{"rendered":"New York Drivers Warned of Thanksgiving Weekend Travel Risks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thanksgiving in New York means family gatherings, long drives, and a whole lot of traffic. Whether you\u2019re heading downstate to see family on Long Island or driving north through the snowy Adirondacks, it\u2019s one of the busiest, and unfortunately, most dangerous, travel weekends of the year. The National Safety Council estimates more than 500 people could lose their lives <\/a>on U.S. roads this Thanksgiving weekend because of heavy traffic, distractions, and drunk driving.<\/p>\n

Searches for \u201cThanksgiving safety tips\u201d are already up more than 200%, and \u201cworst time to drive Thanksgiving\u201d has jumped by 250%. It\u2019s clear people are worried and rightfully so. \u201cBlackout Wednesday,\u201d the night before Thanksgiving, is notorious for alcohol-related crashes<\/a>, often outpacing New Year\u2019s Eve. Combine that with tired drivers, bad weather, and post-turkey naps behind the wheel, and you\u2019ve got a perfect storm of danger on New York roads.<\/p>\n

The Biggest Thanksgiving Driving Dangers Are the Ones We Can Control<\/p>\n

We like to think we\u2019re careful drivers, but holiday travel changes the game. The biggest risks during Thanksgiving weekend are ones most of us can control, we just have to think ahead.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:\u00a0Two Upstate NY Towns Named Best In U.S. For Thanksgiving<\/a><\/p>\n

Alcohol related crashes make up about 35% of Thanksgiving weekend fatalities<\/a>, and \u201cBlackout Wednesday\u201d is one of the worst nights of the year for drunk driving. Add in fatigue from long hours on the road or drowsiness after a big meal, and you\u2019ve got slower reaction times and poor focus. Then there\u2019s distraction, phones, GPS, music, kids in the back seat, all adding up to a moment\u2019s inattention that can change everything.<\/p>\n

Get Your Car Winter-Ready Before Hitting the Road<\/p>\n

Before you even pull out of the driveway, give your vehicle a quick once-over.<\/a> Check your tire pressure, oil, and brakes, and make sure you don\u2019t have any open recalls you\u2019ve been putting off. If you\u2019re driving far, especially through Upstate snow or icy downstate highways, pack an emergency kit. Think flashlight, blankets, snacks, and a first-aid kit. A little preparation can turn an unexpected delay into a minor hiccup instead of a full-on disaster.<\/p>\n

Eliminate Distractions Before They Eliminate Your Focus<\/p>\n

We all do it, check a text, skip a song, glance at the GPS, but distracted driving is one of the biggest factors in Thanksgiving crashes<\/a>. Set your route before you leave and hand off the phone to your co-pilot if you\u2019ve got one. Let passengers take over playlists or calls. The fewer things fighting for your attention, the better your odds of getting home safely.<\/p>\n

Avoid the Post-Dinner Drowsiness Drive<\/p>\n

That post meal food coma is real. Driving right after a big Thanksgiving feast, especially if you\u2019re traveling late at night, can make you sluggish and sleepy.<\/a> Take a little time before heading out. Go for a walk, drink some water, or even grab a short nap if you\u2019re staying with family. Giving your body time to digest helps you stay alert and comfortable on the drive home.<\/p>\n

Make a Plan to Prevent Drunk Driving This Thanksgiving<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re hosting or traveling, it\u2019s smart to make a plan around drinking. If you\u2019re hosting, have non-alcoholic options and remind guests about rideshares or safe rides home. If you\u2019re the one hitting the road, skip the \u201cjust one drink\u201d mindset<\/a>, it\u2019s never worth the risk. Nearly 40% of Thanksgiving crashes involve alcohol, and every single one of them is preventable.<\/p>\n

\"WNBFChoose the Right Time to Travel and Skip the Holiday Rush<\/p>\n

Thanksgiving Eve is one of the worst times to drive, traffic is bumper-to-bumper from New York City to Binghamton. Try leaving early in the morning<\/a>, when roads are quieter and visibility is better. If you can, travel Saturday instead of Sunday when everyone else is heading home. Avoiding the rush means less stress, less traffic, and a safer trip for everyone.<\/p>\n

The Best and Worst Days to Drive for Thanksgiving<\/p>\n

Gallery Credit: CANVA\/IL<\/p>\n

5 Major Retailers in New York Will Be Closed on Thanksgiving<\/p>\n

These five major retailers in New York State have announced they will be closed on Thanksgiving in 2023.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Thanksgiving in New York means family gatherings, long drives, and a whole lot of traffic. Whether you\u2019re heading…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":35020,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[128,9,24,12,63,129,131,130],"class_list":["post-35019","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-the-bronx","tag-bronx","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-news","tag-nyc","tag-the-bronx","tag-the-bronx-headlines","tag-the-bronx-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35019","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35019"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35019\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35020"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35019"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35019"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35019"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}